Questions arise after Daschle surprise

It was designed as the most comprehensive vetting form ever — 60-plus inquiries meant to leave not a single gap in what Barack Obama’s nominees must divulge about their lives.

But when he returned his questionnaire, Tom Daschle forgot to mention the free limo rides.

Story Continued Below

Daschle aides say it was a complete oversight. Even though he asked his accountant in June to investigate his tax liability on the car and driver, he didn’t get an answer until late December — well after he filled out the form.

At least one question, however, seems open-ended enough to have potentially jogged Daschle’s memory and elicited the information:

“Please provide the names and details of any individuals and organizations with which you or your spouse have been associated with which might present a conflict of interest with your proposed federal office, or have the potential for embarrassment,” reads question No. 20 under the section “Relationships and Affiliations.”

There are another eight questions on taxes, including whether the nominee “has any expectation that you will be the subject of any tax, financial or other audit or inquiry.”

Daschle didn’t disclose anything to Obama about the three years of car service until several weeks after Obama named him to run the Department of Health and Human Services, Daschle aides say. They say it was an innocent mistake, arising from Daschle’s own surprise when he learned from his accountant in December that he owed $100,000 in back taxes on what he considered a gift from his friend, Democratic fundraiser Leo Hindery.

He answered the form “truthfully and honestly and with all the information” he had at the time, Daschle spokeswoman Jenny Backus said.

See Also

Still, the controversy has given Republicans fresh ammunition to question the president’s vetting process as the list of nominee surprises grows — Bill Richardson, Timothy Geithner and now Daschle.

Richardson washed out after Obama aides complained he didn’t tell them the full story about a federal investigation that touched on the New Mexico governor’s office. Geithner survived despite paying $42,000 in back taxes and interest. Daschle’s fate remains to be seen

The latest controversy highlights, once again, that even a vaunted vetting process isn’t airtight.

An official involved in the transition, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk about the process, said Daschle was “thoroughly vetted.”

“It was an extraordinarily thorough process, and we believe Sen. Daschle made a very good faith effort to comply and he inadvertently overlooked something and he told us about it as soon as he figured it out,” the official said Sunday. “That is all we can ask. You can’t ask for perfection.”